UK Supreme Court Cases

Woolmington v DPP

1935 - All suspects are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty

The GCHQ case

1985 - Those who work in the interest of national security are not allowed to join trade unions and withhold their work (strike)

Gillick v West Norfolk & Wisbech Area Health Authority

1986 - >16yr olds can make medical decisions without parental consent.

Factortame vs Secretary of State for Transport

1990 - EU law took precedent over UK law

R v R

1991 - Rape can still occur within a marriage and is punishable by law. → Marital rape

Spanner Case

1993 - Consent is not a valid defence to a charge of actual bodily harm or common assault.

Belmarsh Case

2004 - The legislation made to allow prisoners held without trial because of anti-terrorism was deemed incompatible with the ECHR → Can not hold people without charge.

R v Chaytor

2010 - Parliamentary privilege does not protect MPs from criminal prosecution.

Bull v Hall

2013 - Cant discriminate against others based off of personal belief.

Gina Miller Case 2017

2017 - Government may not use prerogative powers to undertake action that would remove rights previously granted under primary legislation. → May tried to trigger Article 50 without consulting Parliament.

Gina Miller Case 2019

2019 - Prerogative power of prorogation is unlawful and subject to judicial review.

AM v Secretary of State for the Home Department

2020 - The deportation of a man with HIV who had come to the UK from Zimbabwe who had committed serious offences was blocked as it was argued that his life would be dramatically shortened in Zimbabwe owing to lack of proper medical care.

Uber BV vs Aslam

2021 - Uber drivers were classified as ‘workers’ within the definition of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and were thus entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay.

Independence Referendum Scotland

2022 - Devolved nations can not hold referendums without the sovereign/ central governments permission.

Safety of Rwanda case

2023 - Rwanda is not safe and thus the plan to deport migrants there was unlawful.

Mercer v Alternative Future Group Ltd

2024 - Taking industrial actions against your employer (within legal process) is protected under the HRA and employees should not suffer detrimental treatment as a result.